Abstract
The relationship between Arctic Oscillation (AO) and surface air temperature (SAT) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has been long debated, particularly in boreal summer. Based on the statistical analysis, this study reveals a significant interdecadal shift in the relationship between summer AO and the first mode of the summer SAT (SAT_EOF1) over the eastern TP in recent decades. Specifically, during 1979–1998, the correlation between summer AO and SAT_EOF1 was weak and insignificant, but during 1999–2018, it was strong and significant. Changes in the AO-related regional atmospheric circulations are responsible for this enhanced AO-SAT_EOF1 connection. During the latter period, the anomalous anticyclone related to AO has extended further westward from eastern China to the eastern TP, leading to the increased water vapor transport and prevalent descending over the eastern TP. As a result, there has been a decrease in cloud cover over the eastern TP, allowing more solar radiation to reach the ground surface and thus contributing to the enhanced AO-SAT_EOF1 linkage. Further analysis indicates that the phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) is a crucial factor in regulating the AO-SAT_EOF1 linkage. Since the late 1990s, the PDO has transitioned from a positive to a negative phase, playing a role in the westward extension of the AO-related anomalous anticyclone over the eastern side of the TP through the Pacific-East Asian (PEA) teleconnection. Finally, the model simulation results provide conclusive evidence that the phase transition of the PDO contributes to the unstable AO-SAT_EOF1 connection.
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Data availability
The ERA5 monthly mean datasets at single and pressure levels can be download from (https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/reanalysis-era5-pressure-levels-monthly-means?tab=form) and (https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/reanalysis-era5-single-levels-monthly-means?tab=form), respectively. Monthly mean SST datasets can be download from (https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadisst/). The monthly AO and PDO indices can be download from (https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/ao.shtml) and https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/teleconnections/pdo), respectively. The model simulation results derived from the GFDL AM2.1 can be download from (https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gmaoftp/clivar_drought_wg/GFDL/).
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Acknowledgements
This research was under the joint sponsorship by the Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42030602; 42030611), Shanghai "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" Venus Project (23YF1437300) and Graduate Research and Innovation Projects of Jiangsu Province (KYCX23_1296).
Funding
This research was under the joint sponsorship by the Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant nos. 42030602; 42030611), Shanghai "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" Venus Project (23YF1437300) and Graduate Research and Innovation Projects of Jiangsu Province (KYCX23_1296).
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The conception and design of this paper are contributed to first author (ZD) and corresponding author (SZ). Data collection, data analysis and material preparation are performed by ZD. The original draft of the manuscript is written by ZD. In addition, all authors commented and approved the final manuscript.
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Deng, Z., Zhou, S., Ge, X. et al. An interdecadal change in the relationship between summer Arctic Oscillation and surface air temperature over the eastern Tibetan Plateau around the late 1990s. Clim Dyn 62, 87–101 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-023-06899-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-023-06899-0